Packing stand



Oct. 21, 1952 R ROBERTSON 2,614,611

I PACKING STAND Filed May 2, 1951 'INVENTOR. REUBEN B. ROBERTSON,

4 TTORNEY.

Patented Oct. 21, 1952 UNITED STATES OFFICE V V I m, .2,614,61 1 3 H Y 4 n L'PACKING STAND Reuben BrRobertsomFort Lauderdale, Fla.

Application May 2, 1951', Serial No.224,180

This invention relates to an improvement in an article of furniture and has particularrefer ence to a packing stand for use in packing suitcases, wardrobe'cases or the like.

It is the ,purpose of 'the present invention to provide a packing stand, similar to the conventional luggage benches, to serve jointly as a seat or as a means for maintaining the closure cover of a suitcase or the likeopen during the process of packing or unpacking and embodies new and novel means associated'with a seat panel, whereby the seat panel will be held open and means be exposed behind which the suitcase cover is to be positioned to beheld in open positionduring the packing, after which, the'cover holding means shall be recessed into the panel and the panel swung to seat forming position.'

Novel structural details will be more clearly set-forth in 'thefollowing description, reference being had to the accompanying drawing,'wher ein is illustrated a preferred form of the inven tion and wherein like characters of reference are employed to denote like parts throughout.

In-the drawings:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of "a" packing stand constructed in accordance with the invention, I

Figure 2 is a perspective view of the standin the open position.

Figure 3-is a fragmentary perspective view of the'stand in the open position, with parts shifted to the operative supporting angle,

Figure 4 is a transverse section taken on line 4-4 of Figure 3, and

Figure 5 is a horizontal section on Figure2. Y Referring specifically to the drawings, the numeral 5 designates a generally rectangular frame, carrying a top panel B, that is recessed over its line 5-5 of major area for the reception of a resilient pad I, formed of rubber or other suitable material. The frame 5 is supported upon legs 8, in a cus tomary manner.

Hinged, as at 9, isa seat panel l0, rectangular in shape and having a dimensionslightly less than the frame 5, whereby its marginal edges lie inwardly of and identically spaced from the marginal edges of the frame. The seat panel I0 is preferably upholstered or covered-upon its normal exposed outer surface by fabric, plastic or the like and in any desirable color. The seat panel-swings upward'to a'vertical position and is limited in its swinging movement upwardly to the v'ertical position by any suitable stop device indicated at la, in which position it k will '7 Claims. (Cl. 155-41) be securely held against accidental closingyby'a wing device, to be later described. The inner face of the'seat panel, adjacent one end, is recessed, as'at l I, for the seating'reception of a wing device, illustrated as 'awhole by the numeral [2. Two edges of the wing 'l 2 areformed upon a right angle, with one vertical edge-being hinged tothe inner face of the seat panel whereby the wing shall swing into and out of the recess II and, when fully engaged within the recess, to be wholly flushwith the inner face of the seat panel. The panel is held in th'e' recessed position, by a suitable latch 13L The hinging I4 for the wing, disposes the wing to swing horizontally when the seat panel isfshifted to the fully openor vertical position,' with the wing serving as a brace to'maintain the seat panel against accidental closing; The wing'may be cut in any desirable ornamental curvature, as

at l5, with the recess llbeing formed iny'an identical manner. A finger opening I6 is formed in the wing 12 to facilitate its swinging movement from the recess, whereby it shall be positioned at a rightangle to the seat panel.

The'wing I2 is further'provided'with'spaced apart 'andidentical openings l1, corresponding in shape" to therecess II, but on a relatively smaller scale. Hingedly supported within the openings [1,, as at 18, are vertically swinging stopwings 19, for a purpose to be described. The wings I9 are adapted to swing downwardly to be disposed in horizontal planes to serve as a stop means, behind which the vertically swinging lids or covers of suitcases or wardrobe cases may be engaged to prevent them from falling down during the process of packing. The wings I9 are arranged at difierent elevations to accommodate baggage lids of varying sizes. 'The'opem ings I! extend entirely through the wing l2,

while the wings [9 are of identical thickness with that of the wing l2 so that, when the wing I2 is to'be collapsed and recessed, the-wingsl9 will be flush with both the inner and outer sides of the wing l2 and, when thawing-l2 is re-' cessed within the recess H, all of the parts will lie in flush position with the inner face of the seat panel 10. 1

Y It has been found that wardrobe cases having extra long dimensions and with their lids opening upward from one end, have difficulty in retaining the lid open during packing operations and, since the stand is not normally sufliciently wide to accommodate such cases ina position to swing vertically to be disposed in a horizontal plane, is normally seated within a recess 22. cut in the recess ll adjacent the top thereof. When the stop wing 20 is to be employed, the wings I9 are recessed into their respective openings. In using the wing 20, the wardrobe case is arranged longitudinally of the stand and its lid swung upward to a vertical position and the wing 20 then pulled outwardly to engage over the inner edge of the lid. The wing 20 normally lies flush with the inner face of the recess H to permit the full recessed position of the wing 12.

In the normal use the stand is employed in hotels or like rental units to serve both as a, seat and as a luggage stand for packing and unpacking suitcases of the like. When a conventional suitcase is to be packed or unpacked, the seat panel ii) is swung upward and the wing l2 swung outwardly at right angles thereto,serv-,j

ing as a brace against the accidental swinging downwardly of the panel. For normally small suitcases, the lower wing I9 is swung inwardly to the dotted line, position and the lid of the suitcase is shifted therebehind. The suitcase may then be packed or unpacked without the annoying continuous falling downwardly of the lid. For larger suitcaseathe upper wing 19 is employed in alike manner. In using the wings l9, thecsuitcase is arranged transversely of the stand. andrests upon the pad I and, since the pad extends slightly above the surrounding frame 5, the suitcase will be held out of contact with the frame and thus avoid scratching or marring of the luggage. When the long type of wardrobe cases are employed, that open from the end, the case is arrangedlongitudinally of the stand and the lid of the case is then swung upwardly and the wing 20 then swung downwardly to engage over the inner edge of the lid, thus securely holding the lid in the fully opened position during the packing or unpacking operation. When not in use, the several wings i9 and 20 are fully recessed and the wing l2 swung to fully recessed position within the recess H and latched therein by the latch [3, after which the panel In is swung downwardly, completely hiding the several wings and. presenting an ornamental and practical seat or bench.

It will be apparent from the foregoing, that a very desirable improvement has been made upon the conventional luggage bench or seat. Much diifioulty has been experienced by travellers in the packing and unpacking-of luggage, since the lid is continually falling down, especially when the lid is supporting relatively heavy clothing and obviously is overbalanced. The improved bench seatpanel is quickly swung upwardand the wing i2shifted outwardly to bracing position, after which the selected small wing swung to operative position. The device is shifted tov operative and inoperative position in a minimum of time and is highly effective for the purposes designed. Further, the device is cheap to manufacture, is strong and durable and the structure may be embodied in various shapes and sizes of benches.

It is to be understood, that the invention is not limited to the precise construction shown, but that various changes in the shape, size and arrangement of parts may be resorted to as readily fall within the spirit of the invention or' the scope of the sub-joined claims.

Having described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters'Patent is:

l. A luggage packing stand'for supporting and maintaining the hinged lids of luggage open, consisting of a leg supported frame having a resilient top covering, a seat panel hinged along one edge to the frame to swing in a vertical plane, a wing brace hingedly supported by the seat panel to swing horizontally when the panel is shifted to a vertical position, stop devices carried by the Wing brace to be positioned in the path of swinging movement of the luggage lid and a stop device carried byEIt'he seat panel to be positioned in the path of swinging movement of the luggage lid, the stop devices being recessed in the wing brace and seat panel, and

the wing brace being recessed in the panel.

2; A luggage packing stand for supporting and maintaining the luggage lid in open position, consisting of a leg supported frame recessed on its top to receive a cushion pad, the pad projecting above the top of the frame, a seat panel hinged at one edge to the frame and being coextensive with the pad, the panel being recessed onits inner face, a brace wing hingedly supported to the panelfor flush engagementwithin the recess of the panel, the wing adapted to swing horizontally to. brace the panel in open vertical position, stop wings recessed into the brace wing and hinged to swing vertically for being positioned at right angles .tov the. brace wing, a stop wing recessed into the recess of the panel to swing vertically for extended position from the panel, the last named wing when recessed being flush, with the inner surface of the. panel recess, the first named stop wings when recessed being flush with the faces of the brace wing, the brace wing when recessed being flush with'the inner face of the panel and latch means for retaining the brace panel in recessed position.

3. A combined seat and luggage'packingstand that consists of a leg supported rectangular frame having an upper surface recessed, a resilient pad fixed in the recess and pro ecting above the frame, a seat forming panel that is coextensive with the pad and hinged along one longitudinal edge to the frame,th-e panel ad- 'acent one end upon its inner face being re cessed, a wing brace having a thickness corresponding to the depth of the panel recess and corresponding in shape to the panel recess for flush seating in therecess, the wing brace being hinged to the panel forswinging horizontally when the panel is shifted to a vertical position for positioning the-brace at a right, angle to the panel for bracing engagement with the pad, the wing brace provided with spaced openings therethrough, stop wings adapted to have a flush seating within the openings, hinge means, supporting the stop wings to swing vertically for lateral positioning in thepath of a lid carried by a suitcase supported upon the pad, the panel recess beingfurther provided with a recess adjacent its upper end, a stop wing hingedly supported in the last named recesstonormally lie flush with the surface of the panel recess, the last named stopwing adapted to swing vertically to be disposed in horizontal extended position from the panelto lie in the path of an open lid carried by a wardrobe case, the several stop wings'and brace wing in the inoperative'position being flush. with their respective mounting to permit the seat panel to be swung to seat forming engagement withthe frame and pad.. 7

ii. In a combined seat and packing stand-for luggage, that consistsv of a rectangular frame having corner legs: and a top, the top being re,-

stop wings hingedly supported cessed and receiving a cushion pad that projects above the frame, a rectangular seat panel hinged along one longitudinal edge to the frame,

a the panel being coextensive with the pad and adapted to swing vertically, the inner face of of the wing to a right angular position from the panel when in the vertical position, the wing provided with upper and lower identical openings each entirely therethrough with the openings each having edges forming a right angle, on the brace wing for vertical swinging movement for normal seating within the openings, the stop wings adapted to swing outwardly to be disposed at a right angleto the brace wing and in the path of swinging movement of an open lid of a suitcase, the stop wings being of identical thickness to the brace wing, the panelrecess being further recessed for the reception of a stop wing that is positioned adjacent the upper portion of the recess, the last named stop wing being hinged to the panel to swing outwardly at a right angle to be disposed in the path of swinging movement of a lid of a wardrobe case, the last named wing in recessed position lying flush with the surface of the panel recess, the first named stop wings in recessed position being flush with both sides of the brace wing, the brace wing and its supported stop wings in recessed position being flush with the inner surface of the panel, a latch carried by the panel to shiftably engage and 6 retain the brace wing in recessed position, the brace wing provided with a finger hole.

5. In combination, a luggage packing stand having hinged collapsible means connected therewith adjacent one end thereof, shiftable stops connected with the collapsible means, the shiftable stops being positioned in the path of swinging movement of hinged covers of luggage articles supported on the stand and supporting the covers in open position.

6. A luggage packing stand that embodies. a leg supported frame having a seat panel hinged- 1y supported thereon to swing to a vertical position, stop devicesconnected with the panel to be shifted to a position to lie in the path of movement of an open cover of a suitcase or wardrobe case when the panel is in the vertical position.

7. A luggage packing leg supported frame having a cushion top, a seat panel hingedly supported on the frame to swing to a vertical position, a wing device hinged to the panel to swing to a right angle thereto to brace the panel against downward swinging movement, shiftable stop devices carried by the wing device to be positioned in the path of swinging movement of the vertically disposed open lids of luggage cases.

REUBEN B. ROBERTSON.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,926,859 Reiss Sept. 12, 1933 2,244,474 Rainville June 3, 1941 stand that embodies a 

